Shock absorbing mechanism



April 25, 1933. J. F. OCONNOR SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 10,1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l rammed Apr. 25, 1933 Umrso STATES A N QFFICE JOHNF. OGONNOR, OIE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TOW. H. 'MINER, INC OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISMApplication filed OctoberlO, 1928. Serial No. 311,425.

This invention relates to improvements in shock absorbing mechanisms.

In the operation of railway cars, and more particularly passenger cars,it is highly desirable that the shock absorbing devices associated withthe couplers be such as to provide an easy cushioning action forstarting and stopping, While at the same time having ample capacity toabsorb any unusual or severe shocks. In passenger car operation, it hasalso been found that a smooth, easy cushioning action should not only beobtained during the starting of the train of cars, but that there shouldbe also an insured easy acting resilient cushioning between the couplersand the car bodies while the train is in transit, the latter provisionbeing neces sary to prevent transmission from the locomotive of thepulsating or surging action ;which is nec essarily imparted to thelocomotive by reason of the steam cylinder action on the driving wheels.The resilient cushioning capacity referred to, should also be such thatit is greater than the normal draw-bar pull of the locomotive, so as toprevent the shock absorbing device being pulled solid while the train isin motion. The reserve resilient cushioning capacity referred to, isalso of great importance when the train is brought to a stop, in that itserves to prop erly set or spot the cars of the train when brought torest, thus leaving the train in suitable condition for the locomotive tothereafter start the train in motion without ithe necessity .of backingup and providing slack, as is common practice where the gears or shockabsorbing devices are not designed to provide the necessary resilientcapacity above referred to.

One object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a shock absorbing.mechanism, particularly adapted for passenger equipment, which will havea large resilient easy cushioning action to take care of all normalshocks incident to starting and stopping, and

which will be of sufiicient capacity to exceed the normal draw-bar pullof the locomotive to thereby eliminate surging and provide for propersetting of the cars when the latter are brought to rest, and at the sametime provide a reserve, very high capacity and independently operatingshock absorbing. unit which only comes into play in the event of anunusual or excessive shock.

More specifically, an object of my invention is to provide a shockabsorbing mechanism of nested plate type, wherein there are twoindependently operating systems, one of which is always available foranyv shocks encountered and the. other acts as a reserve to be broughtinto play only upon occurrence of excessively high shocks.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from thedescription and claims hereinafter following.

In the. drawings forming apart of this specification, Figure l is ahorizontal sectional view of my improved shock absorbing mechanism,shown applied to the usual draft sills of a car underframe. Figure 2 isa vertical, longitudinal section, corresponding to the line 22 ofFigure 1. Figure 3 is a front end elevation of the shock absorbingmechanism proper. Figures 4 and 5 are vertical, transverse, sectionalviews, corresponding to the lines44 and 55, respectively, of Figure 1,Figure 5 being partly broken away to accommodate it on the sheet. AndFigure 6 is, a detailed perspective view of one of the friction shoesemployed in the mechanism.

In said drawings, 101O denote the usual channel draft sills of a carunderframe, to the inner faces of which are attached front stop lugs 11and rear stop lugs 12. A portion of a hooded cast yoke is indicated at13, the same surrounding the shock absorbing device and also a frontfollower 14 of well known construction. The yoke and associated partsare supported in operative position by a detachable saddle plate 15bolted to the lower flanges'of the draft sills in the usual manner. I

I The improved shock absorbing mechanism proper, as shown,comprises,broadly, a combined friction shell and spring cage casting A; a wedge B;friction shoes C-C; front spring follower. D; secondary spring E; rearsecondary spring follower F; a pressure transmitting yoke G; a primaryfront spring of the shoe, thereby as indicated at 1818, for thereception of ribs 19-19 provided on the outer'faces-of substantiallyU-shaped heavy liners 20-20.

Each of the liners has a slightly longitudinally and inwardlyinclinedfriction surface 21 and upper and lower inwardly extended arms22-22, the function of the latter appearing hereinafter.

Two friction shoes C are employed, each of which is provided on itsouter side with a friction surface 23 cooperable with thecorrespondingadjacent friction surface 21; an

' inner, flat, transversely extending face 24,

engageable with the follower D; inwardly and rearwardly inclined wedgeface 25 and an outwardly extending flange 26, the latter being of lesserwidth than the main portion roviding notches as indicated at 2727.;section is of' reduced width or vertical height, thus providing upperand lower notches 28-28 for the purpose hereinafter described.

The wedge B, preferably a cored casting, has an outer pressuretransmitting flat face 29, normally spaced from the follower 14; andopposed rearwardly and inwardly inclined wedge faces 30-30, cooperablerespec-- tively with the wedge faces 25 of the shoes. At each end, atthe front thereof, the wedge B is provided with upwardly and downwardlyextending lugs 31--31 which engage behind the. arms 2222 of the liners,as best shown in Figure 3, to thereby limit the out ward movement of thewedge B and thus maintain the over-all length of the shockabsorbingmechanism. 7

The follower D, best shown in Figure 1, has a front flat bearing face-32engaging the inner flat faces 2 10f the shoes, and a rear convex face 33Which engages the front plate of the nest of plates E.

The spring E preferably consists of a plurality of rectangular platesnested as shown in the drawings, the outer ends of the innermost platethereof bearing on a concave face 34 provided on the front side of thefollower F. The latter preferably also has'end wings or flanges 3535embracing the ends of the spring E. v

On its rear side, the follower F has a flat bearing face 36 which alwaysabuts the interior stop members M. Two of the latter imilarly, the wedgeare employed and each is in the form of a U-shaped yoke having avertical front section 37 and upper and lower rearwardly extendingspaced arm 3838, the inner ends of the latter bearing against the rearwall 17 of the member A. The upper and lower walls 16 of the member Aare preferably recessed, as best indicated in Figure 5 at 39, toaccommodate said arms 38. With this arrangement, it is evident that thefollower F is'held against rearward movement relative tothe member A andhence that the friction spring unit consisting of the wedge B, shoes G,follower D and spring E, will operate as a unit wholly independent ofthe primary spring resistancehereinafter described. r v

The primarg1 spring resistance includes the follower spring comprised ofthe series of units J-J. The follower His similar to the follower D,although preferably somewhat thicker, the same having-an outer flat face40 and an inner convex face 41, the latter engaging the adjacent nest ofplates J. The front face ofthe rear wall 17 of the member A is alsoconvex, as indicatedat 42, the same bearing on the adjacent plate of therearmost nested unit J. The spacers K are each of approximately I-crosssectioinhaving a central ,web with opposite concave faces 4343 and endflanges or wings rest extending over the ends of the corresponding setsof spring'plates. The central spacer L- has convex surfaces 45 45 oneach side thereof. As will be evident from inspection of Figure 1, theflanges or wings on the ends 'of the follower F and spacers willeffectively serve to prevent the ends of the spring plates from gougingthe side walls of the member A.

To minimize wear on the inner surfaces of the upper and lower walls ofthe member A, the latter are preferably provided with horizontal linerplates 46%6, shown best in Figures 2,; 4 and 5.

F or operating the primary spring unit, the yoke G is provided, the samebeing of U-formation having a rear, vertically extending section 47 andupper andlower heavy thick arms 48 -48, the latter being of such lengthas to always engagethe inner face of the front follower 14." As will beclear from Figures 3, e and 6, the arms 48 of the pressure transmittingmember G straddle the wedge-B and are accommodated within the notches2828- of the shoes and also between the lugs 3131 of the wedge. In thismanner, the member G is adapted for free longitudinal movement withreference to the front or secondary wedge fric tion unit, so that theprimary or rear spring unit is operable independently of the-former. Byproviding the notches 27 in the wedge shoes, the latter are capable ofworking outspacers K and L, and

wardly of the shell a slight amount to compensate for wear, as will beevident.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows, assuming a buff or inwardstroke of the coupler. As the follower 14 is moved inwardly, it movesthe pressure transmitting yoke G rearwardly simultaneously and equallytherewith, thus in turn forcing the front spring follower H of theprimary system in the same direction. This in turn induces a flexing ofall of the plat-es of the primary spring system, each set or unitobviously being flexed between a pair of convex and concave surfaces andthus producing the desired resiliency.

If the inward movement of the coupler continues sufiiciently, thefollower 14 will then pick up the wedge B and, for the balance of thecompression stroke, will force the wedge 13, thus bringing into play asan entirely independent unit the friction spring system comprised of thewedge B, shoes C, follower D and spring IE, it being evident that thefollower F is held stationary by the means hereinbefore described. Thecapacity of the friction spring or secondary system will be maderelatively high and approximately three to four times that of theprimary spring system, but, as will be obvious, the capacities of thetwo systems are added in the event a maximum compression stroke takesplace.

In actual practice, the plates comprising the springs will preferably besomewhat initially flexed and so placed within the mechanism that theflexure is taken out and plates made straight when the gear isassembled, thus providing an initial compression and allowing fortake-up for any ordinary amount of wear. Preferably, also, the primaryspring action will have a stroke of about 1 inches before the secondarysystem is brought into play, the total stroke being approximately 2inches. Further, the capacity of the primary spring system will be madesuch as to provide about 60,000 pounds at the end of the 1 inch stroke,this capacity being sufficient to overbalance the tractive efiort ordraw-bar pull of modern passenger locomotives when running under speed,and also sufficient to separate or spot the cars of the train whenbrought to rest. The total capacity of the gear under a completecompression will preferably be made about 250,000 pounds.

While I have hereinbefore referred to the sets of nested plates E and Jas springs, it will be understood that friction will be developedbetween the several plates of each nest when they are flexed, and in theclaims hereinafter following it is to be understood that the use of theterm spring is in the broadest sense and contemplates springs which door do not develop friction and whether or not of the plate or coil orother lustrative and I contemplateall changes and.

modifications which come within the scope of; the claims appendedhereto.

Iclaim: V

ll-In a shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a containerhaving a friction shell at one end; of stop means within said containerand locatedintermediate said shell end and the opposite end thereof; awedge friction shoe system cooperablewith said shell; spring meansinterposed between said stop means and system; a second spring meanslocated between said stop means and said opposite ends of the casing;and means adapted for actuation at 'the friction shell end, forcompressing said second spring means while said friction shoe systemremains idle.

2. In a shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a containerhaving a friction shell at one end; of stop means within said containerand located intermediate said shellend and the opposite end thereof; awedge friction shoe system cooperable with said shell; spring means.interposed between said stop means and system; a second spring meanslocated between said stop means and said opposite endof the casing; andmeans adapted for actuation atthe friction shell end, for compressingsaid second spring means independently of said friction shoe system,said last named means comprising a. yoke straddling said wedge frictionshoe system and projecting outwardly therebeyond. H

8. In a shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a combinedfriction shell and spring casing having the friction shell at one endand a wall at the opposite end; of friction shoes cooperable with saidshell; a wedge cooperable with said shoes; stop means within said casingand immovable longitudinally thereof; a spring resistance between saidstop means and said shoes; a

second primary spring resistance between means within said casing andimmovable,

longitudinally thereof; a spring resistance between said stop'meansand-said shoes; a second primary springresistance between said stopmeans and wall of said casing; a follower at the front end of saidprimary spring resistance and pressure transmitting means extending.from said follower outwardly of and beyond the wedge adapted to actuatesaid primary spring resistance inad- Vance' of and independently of thefriction system, each of said spring resistances in-' cluding aplurality of nested flexible plates extending transversely ofthe'casing.

5. In a shock absorbing-mechanism, the combination with a combinedfriction shell and spring casing having friction surface liners at oneend and a wall at the other end; of a pressure transmitting wedge andfriction shoes cooperable with said shell; displaceable stop-actingmeans disposed within the casing; a spring resistance interposedbetweensaid mea'ns'and the wedge shoe system; another spring-system locatedbetween said stop acting means and rear wall; and a yoke embracing saidfriction {system and first named spring resistance and extendingoutwardly therebeyond and adaped to actuate said second named springresistance. 7

6.111 a shock absorbing mechanism, the

combination with a follower;of a combined friction shell and spring cageopen at one end and having the friction shell portion at said open end,said follower and combined shell and spring cage being relativelymovable toward and away from each other; a primary cushioning means; asecondary cushioning means including friction elements cooperating withthe friction shell portion;

a pressure-transmitting device extending through said friction shellportion and interposed between said follower andprimary cushioning meansand-continuously engaged by said follower for compressing the primarycushioning means during a compression stroke of said mechanism, saiddevice being freely movable with respect to the friction elements andopposed only by said primary cushioning means throughout the compressionstroke of the mechanism; and means normally spaced from the follower andadapted to be actuated thereby after a predetermined compression of theprimary cushioning means for actuating said friction elements tocompress the secondary cushioning means. i

In witness that I claim thefore'going I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 8th day of October, 1928. I

JOHN roooNNoR;

